How to Find Designer Steals Online

Do you really have to be rich to wear high-quality designer pieces? The short answer is, sometimes. Undeniably, you’re not going to prioritize getting your hands on the latest fashion items when you’re still saving up for next month’s rent - yet, it’s nice to know that the Internet is home to a few corners of incredibly marked down treasures.

It’s how the average fashionista manages to continue with their hobby without spending all their savings and it’s how you’re going to up your wardrobe and feel fantastic without breaking the bank as well. Here is a much-needed guide to the hidden designer outlets and how you, I and anyone in between who has already paid their rent this month can treat themselves.

First: The shopping mindset

Before we get cracking, it’s important to do a quick recap on not only how and where you should shop - but also how you should think when shopping. If you find something that is a bit pricier than you originally had in mind, yet oh-so-perfect, you’d want to make sure you’re going to wear it a lot.

We’re talking seasonal coats that will work during spring as well as autumn, a classic dress you might wear to the next work event as well as your mother-in-law’s birthday, a leather bag you’ll take with you everywhere, you get the picture. It needs to mean something to you, be worn with love and preferably passed on to your children and grandchildren.

The Internet: Find Outlets

The easiest and least energy-consuming way of shopping is, of course, to go online. As everyone seems to prefer this method, it’s starting to get a bit confusing out there and shopping sites have reached a number that few of us are able to search through in one sitting. So let’s break it down for you; Net-a-Porter and The Outnet are most fashionistas go-to sites for designer pieces that have been marked down.

Yet, there are more hidden gems out there than these. Saks Off 5th Avenue and 6PM feature marked down designer clothes and, if you pop by once in a while, you’ll be able to take home a proper bargain. If you are looking for something specific, it might be a good idea to go straight to an outlet that features the brand you want; check out these Air Jordan 1, for example, and you’ll know what we mean.

Look for flash sales

Even when you’ve found your ultimate shopping site, you may not have found the prices you had in mind. That’s why some sites specialize in flash sales; the kind you often have to sign up for and that will continue to send you annoying emails.

Nonetheless, it is the price we have to pay (at least a part of it) for high-quality clothes at a low price. Keep an eye on sites like ideeli, Gilt and HauteLook for great discounted deals as well as occasional flash sales.

When you’ve become used to paying the same for a skirt from Marc Jacobs as you would pay for one from Topshop, it’s easy to see why discounted designer clothes can be so addictive.

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GEORGIA’S WAR STORIES

ABOVE: The Battle of Savannah fought in miniature at the Savannah History Museum.

Follow a trail of ‘Hamilton’-inspired independence-seekers

and unearth history’s mysteries at these Revolutionary and

Civil War sites.

THE ECHOES OF WAR in Georgia aren’t hard to hear if you know where to listen. The state was pivotal in the two most intense wars fought inside the United States — the American Revolution and the Civil War. Although almost 100 years apart, the footsteps of battalions from both conflicts crisscross everything from Georgia’s forested foothills to the streets of Savannah.

[Read more: How Hamilton became a theatrical revolution]

Georgia, named for King George II and founded in 1733, was one of 13 original Colonies. In 1788, it became the fourth state admitted to the newly minted Union. Some 73 years later, it became a major player in the Civil War, seceding from the Union with 10 like-minded states.

More than a century has passed, but the hopes and hostilities of Georgia’s war history have not gone with the wind. Arm yourself with knowledge at these sites. 

Kettle Creek Battlefield | Less than 2 hours by car

Depending on who you ask, the 1779 Battle of Kettle Creek was either a minor backwoods skirmish or a big Revolutionary War win. Not under debate: That it was the only conflict in Georgia where the home team — the patriots — triumphed.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: The white crosses designate graves from the Battle of Kettle Creek near modern-day Washington, Ga.

Savannah had fallen two months earlier. In this clash between 600 British loyalists and 340 patriots, the Americans trounced all the king’s men, much to the dismay of the British, who thought they’d handily roll over the region.

FUN FACT: This battle took place near what became Washington, Ga., the first town in the country named for the first president, George Washington.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND: A picnic area atop War Hill, hiking trails and historical markers. Eight miles east, on the square in Washington, stands a monument dedicated to African-Americans who fought for the Colonies.

CIVIL WAR CONNECTION: There’s a legend of Confederate gold buried near Washington, worth $100,000 when stolen and hidden in 1865 (about $2 million today). Tales persist of people finding old coins near Chennault Plantation in neighboring Lincoln County, but the bulk of the booty (according to a deathbed confession from a lighthouse keeper in the 1890s) was sent north by rail and for a time lay concealed on the bottom of Lake Michigan. The History Channel recently aired a documentary series titled “The Curse of the Civil War Gold” about a nationwide hunt for this lost Georgia treasure.

 Savannah | 3-4 hours by car

Georgia’s oldest city was the Colonial capital during the Revolution and an area of almost constant conflict. It was taken by the British in 1779 and remained in its control until the end of the war.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: Artifacts at the Savannah History Museum.

The Savannah History Museum (912.651.6825) highlights the American Revolution, partly due to Battlefield Memorial Park next door and nearby Old Fort Jackson     (912.232.3945), Georgia’s longest-standing brick fort.

The Battle of Savannah’s armies included soldiers from modern-day Haiti and five European countries. African-Americans and Native Americans also fought in the conflict, one of the costliest for those bent on independence. The Coastal Heritage Society has unearthed evidence of this battle, including trenches and fortifications.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND: Weapons and military uniforms among 10,000 artifacts that stretch from Savannah’s start as a city through the Revolutionary War and beyond. All are housed in an 1800s railroad building. 

Loyalists and Liberty programs happen Thursday-Sunday with re-enactments (participate if you wish) and musket-firing demonstrations (stand back and watch). Costumed interpreters fire cannons at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily at Old Fort Jackson using vintage artillery. 

Fort Morris | About 4 hours by car

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: A historical marker at Fort Morris in Midway, Ga., 40 miles from Savannah.

At Fort Morris (912.884.5999) in the city of Midway, 40 miles south of Savannah, 200 patriots defended a growing Revolutionary War seaport. British forces demanded the fort’s surrender in 1778, but Georgia-born Col. John McIntosh refused, famously issuing the challenge, “Come and take it!” The British withdrew but regrouped, returned and captured the fort a few months later.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND: A campground, picnic area, visitor center and earthwork on 67 acres with a tranquil view of St. Catherines Sound at St. Catherines Island, one of Georgia’s Golden Isles.

FUN FACT: A population of free-ranging lemurs lives on St. Catherines Island, the only such group outside Madagascar.

Andersonville | Less than 2.5 hours by car

CIVIL WAR: This memorial at Andersonville Cemetery commemorates those who suffered and those who died.

Camp Sumter, under the command of Capt. Henry Wirz, is best known as the infamous Andersonville Prison. It held Union soldiers in squalid conditions during the final year of the Civil War.

The POW camp, built to house 10,000 men, held more than 33,000, many of them wounded. With little food and inadequate shelter, almost 13,000 died, often 100 men a day.

Wirz was later tried and executed for war crimes. Graphic photos of starving survivors, published in newspapers after the war, shocked the American public.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND: The prison, a cemetery and the National Prisoner of War Museum, all on a 514-acre site in Andersonville in modern-day Sumter County. 

National Civil War Naval Museum | 2 hours by car

Follow the battle at sea at this Columbus site. Military vessels (some brought up from the ocean floor) are housed in a 40,000-sq. ft. facility along with what’s described as the nation’s largest collection of Civil War-era naval flags from ships and forts, including signal flags and admiral’s pennants.

CIVIL WAR: The CSS Jackson, one of the biggest ironclads built in the South, now docks at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus.

The National Civil War Naval Museum (706.327.9798) recently obtained an artifact known as a passbox, for a IX-inch Dahlgren gun, a muzzle-loading cannon. A sailor dubbed the “powder monkey” would carry the passbox from the ship’s hold, where gunpowder was stored, to the artillery crew, thus minimizing the risk of fires and unintended explosions.

 Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield | Metro Atlanta

CIVIL WAR: Artifacts and memories at Kennesaw Mountain Museum.

This 2,965-acre park preserves a Civil War battlefield from the Atlanta Campaign. The first shot was fired near Chattanooga in May 1864. By June, Gen. William T. Sherman launched his frontal assault on Confederate troops at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. At stake was Atlanta, with its railroad hub and supply centers.

In a classic case of winning the battle but losing the war, Southern soldiers were victorious at Kennesaw but failed to halt Sherman’s advance. The Confederacy’s worst fears were realized when the general followed his troops to Atlanta and, on Nov. 15, 1864, ordered the city burned to the ground.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND: A museum, cannons, historical markers and nature trails. Hike to the top of the mountain (1,800-ft. elevation) or, on weekends, take the shuttle bus that runs every 30 minutes. Details: 770.427.4686.

 Cyclorama | Atlanta

Come inside for the view. The Cyclorama, a massive 6-ton cylindrical painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta, was finished in 1886 and, in 2017, moved from its longtime Grant Park location to the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead (404.814.4031).

The 374-ft. diorama is in the midst of a multimillion-dollar restoration and expected to reopen to the public in the fall. Private, pre-opening tours are available Saturdays. 

CIVIL WAR: The 374-ft. Cyclorama, depicting the storied Battle of Atlanta, undergoes restoration before its fall unveiling at the Atlanta History Center.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT | May-June 2018

TOP: Some of the scenery at New Realm Brewing Co., where you’ll find elevated eats and craft beer near the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine. Photos: David Danzig.

Restored landmarks, brews on the BeltLine, Lao street

food and Houston’s, we have a problem.

THIS EDITION of our bimonthly dining column catches you up on projects coming to Midtown, Spaghetti Junction, Buckhead and the Atlanta BeltLine, and leaving East Cobb and, again, Buckhead.

Well done

Despite a dearth of historic structures in Atlanta, a few 20th-century icons still hide in plain sight. Midtown’s “Castle,” a six-level, 1910-era mansion, is one such survivor that is now home to the all-new ROSE + RYE. After an interior architectural makeover, the space feels modern and elegant.

Rose + Rye’s one-sheet menu stays in the epicurean fairway with American cuisine that has a slight Southern flair. Steak tartare, chilled yellowfin tuna, pork tenderloin and a buttery-soft filet mignon are among the confidently executed dishes. And with a name that includes the word “rye,” you can imagine which way the excellent cocktails lean. Think of Rose + Rye as a good jumping-off point for a show or concert at the Fox Theatre, the Woodruff Arts Center or the High Museum of Art.

SNACK BOXE BISTRO, new to the Spaghetti Junction area, puts a modern spin on Lao street food — the sort of dishes you’d buy on city streets from a stall or food cart. Try the sticky rice, an extremely dense and rich rice that comes in a bag. You eat it with your fingers and dip it in sauces like a sweet roasted pepper or chili lime fish. Other standouts include the chicken larb (pronounced LOB), the Nam Kha and the lemongrass ribs. We Westerners will love Snack Boxe Bistro for its English menu, simplicity, cleanliness and prices. Not a single dish tops $10, an absolute steal for food of this quality.

NEW REALM BREWING CO. has to be one of the most exciting openings on the Atlanta BeltLine. The 20,000-sq. ft. colossus of a brewery and full-service restaurant is on the Eastside Trail and shares a building with Two Urban Licks, which was cool before we’d even heard the term “beltline.” New Realm’s second-story, indoor/outdoor terrace commands an impressive perch with views of the BeltLine’s concrete ribbon, Ponce City Market and the Midtown skyline.

The Spanish-style tomato-braised pork meatballs at New Realm. Photo: David Danzig

Inside, the experience is genuine brewpub, where the smell of hops is in the air. The beer lineup includes pilsners, IPAs, pale ales and even a triple IPA, which boasts an alcohol content of 11.5 percent. Quaff your beverage of choice with elevated comfort food — Springer Mountain Farms beer-can chicken, Spanish-style tomato-braised pork meatballs, Korean pork buns, she-crab soup and wood-fired pizzas.

Simmering

Ponce City Market’s iconic — and long-vacant — tower will become home to RFD SOCIAL, a new concept from Slater Hospitality, owners and operators of PCM’s rooftop Skyline Park and Nine Mile Station. The name comes from the 1920s radio show “Dinner Bell R.F.D.,” which was broadcast from the tower’s 11th floor. RFD Social will include the Parlour, a “re-energized” extension of the indoor lobby with a public bar area, and Roebuck Room, a special-events space that will hold up to 175 people.

Kevin Gillespie

Kevin Gillespie, former “Top Chef” combatant and owner of Gunshow and Revival, will open COLD BEER, a 7,000-sq. ft. cocktail bar/beer garden near the BeltLine’s Old Fourth Ward section. Expect three patios, all facing the BeltLine and one on a rooftop. The beer garden spot plans a sizable dining room and bar.

Cold Beer will join a new Shake Shack and Hazel Jane’s Wine & Coffee in the Edge mixed-use development at Edgewood and DeKalb avenues. Construction should begin midyear, with an opening anticipated for mid-2019. Recent news of a renal cancer diagnosis for Gillespie, reportedly, will not slow the project. We wish him well — and the privacy he and his family have requested.

Say hello to happy news for Buckhead. Roswell’s popular LITTLE ALLEY STEAK is opening a second spot there, likely in early May. The new Little Alley moves into the space that once belonged to Emeril’s and AJA. Look for an oversized dining room; a 2,500-sq. ft. outdoor terrace with a full bar, lounge and dining patio; and more than 356 bourbons.

Toast

Much to the chagrin of its fans (and it had many), the HOUSTON’S on Lenox Road closed after 30 years and a high-profile boycott organized by rapper T.I. The two sides mended fences in early February (“We may now enjoy the spinach dip again!” T.I. tweeted), but allegations of racial profiling hurt the restaurant’s reputation. The spinach dip is still available at the Peachtree Road and Northside Parkway locations.

MUSS & TURNER’S in East Cobb closed less than a year after opening. In a press release, namesake Ryan Turner said the closure was due to location and a dining market less fertile than the eatery’s original location. The original Muss & Turner’s — and its secret alter ego, Eleanor’s — (check out the speakeasy’s walk-in refrigerator), continues to be a popular spot.

Bob Amick

Finally, wave and say bye-bye to  ONE MIDTOWN KITCHEN.

The restaurant was a millennium pioneer in the modern Atlanta dining scene but, after 16 years, founder Bob Amick decided to focus on his consulting business instead.

One Midtown’s slightly younger sibling, Two Urban Licks, and six other Concentrics-brand Atlanta restaurants, continue on.

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Davio's Cooks for Charity, Headshots + Handshakes and Doggies + Daiquiris

Fashion, Food & Furry friend lovers - We have three fun, stylish and very delicious events for you to attend!

Atlanta influencer and Doggies on the Catwalk runway model, Chris Watkins, along with his friends at Davio's and the AC Hotel Buckhead, have created "Headshots + Handshakes," "Davio's Cooks for Charity" and "Doggies + Daiquiris," just for you and to benefit the Doggies Foundation.

 Headshots + Handshakes: Thursday, May 10,  6:30-9p at the AC Lounge.

This is a networking event and headshot party benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk. Come network and mingle with Atlanta professionals at AC Hotel Atlanta Buckhead for professional headshots for your LinkedIn, website, or business profile. Enjoy drink specials throughout the evening. Headshots are $50 made payable onsite as a tax-deductible donation benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk.

Next up: Davio's Cooks for Charity May 15th, 5-10p

We didn't know our boy Chris could throw down in the kitchen...

Chris teamed up with the awesome team at Davio's Atlanta to host Davio's Cooks for Charity event on May 15th. He helped put the smackdown on the evening's charity dish, Penne Pasta w/ Applewood-Smoked Chicken, Sundried Tomatoes, Walnuts, and Cream where 100% of the sales benefit Doggies on the Catwalk.

Chris will be hosting the night and wants to see you there! Make a reservation on OpenTable at the link provided or contact the restaurant at 404.844.4810. https://www.opentable.com/davios-reservations-atlanta

Last but certainly not least:

Doggies + Daiquiris: Monday, May 21, 2018, 6-8p at the AC Patio.

This is a fundraising event benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk. Come learn about Doggies on the Catwalk and there benefactor Canine Assistants and meet the adorable service animals while enjoying doggie-themed daiquiris on the dog-friendly patio. Onsite donations benefit Doggies on the Catwalk.

So mark your calendars for these three fabulous events and support Chris Watkins and Doggies on the Catwalk! Bring a friend or two!

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Phipps Plaza strengthens luxury offerings with Jeffrey expansion

Southeastern lifestyle destination continues its evolution with fashion and dining additions

Phipps Plaza, Buckhead’s most acclaimed luxury shopping, dining and lifestyle destination, is pleased to announce the expansion of luxe brand Jeffrey. Enhancements to the high profile boutique build on the center’s much-anticipated mixed-use redevelopment and complement recent openings of new, chef-driven dining experiences. Long recognized as Atlanta’s premier shopping destination, Phipps Plaza has continued to successfully blend vibrant, high-end retail brands with an iconic mix of curated dining and entertainment offerings.

“We are beyond thrilled to be expanding Jeffrey at Phipps Plaza – offering our customers even more of the best collections from all over the world,” said Jeffrey Kalinsky, founder and president of Jeffrey. “The expansion will help us focus on offering a more comprehensive collection for men.”

Offering carefully edited fashion pieces and highlighting only the best of the best, Atlanta-born Jeffrey will begin the expansion of its prominent storefront this spring. Shoppers will soon be immersed in a familiar warm, fun, friendly and service-driven environment in an expanded 11,922 square foot location, set to be completed this fall.

“Jeffrey remains as one of the Southeast’s most highly coveted fashion labels, and we are proud they have selected Phipps Plaza to call home,” said Carol Cox, area director of marketing and business development for Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square. “We are committed to the transformative evolution of the property through continued first-to-market introductions, as well as discerning luxury brand expansions to offer our guests more of what they love at Phipps Plaza.”

To offer its shoppers a dynamic dining environment, Phipps Plaza has welcomed two first-to-market restaurants – Savannah-based Daniel Reed’s Public Kitchen & Bar and James Beard Award winning-chef Michael Schwartz’s first outpost of Genuine Pizza. In the coming seasons, Atlanta culinary favorite Ecco and Grand Lux Cafe will offer guests an even more robust selection of high-caliber dining options.

Phipps Plaza recently announced its premier mixed-use redevelopment, headlined by the arrival of a new Nobu Hotel and Nobu Atlanta Restaurant. Additional elements of this dynamic  new development call for a unique, curated dining experience; a 90,000 square-foot Life Time® Athletic healthy living and entertainment destination; and a 12-story Class A office building, complete with a three-story lower level parking garage.

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Event Recap: Luxury Garage Sale Grand Opening Atlanta

Luxury Garage Sale

Atlanta Pop Up

(l-r) Vickie Kirbo kirbyourstyle.com, LGS CEO Trish Lukasik, E. Vincent Martinez, Ashley Stamoulis suthingirl.com

E. Vincent Martinez & Jovita Moore

Luxury Garage Sale Atlanta

closes May 15, 2018

On Wednesday, April 25th, over 100 fashion forward Atlantans descended upon Luxury Garage Sale's pop-up boutique in bustling Inman Park for the official grand opening celebration.  An intimate affair,  guests shopped coveted luxury brands for 90% off of retail prices such as: Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Celine, Prada, LV, and much more, while enjoying savory corn hush puppies and tuna tartare bites from The Brasserie and Neighborhood Café at PARISH, bubbly, Wild Heaven craft beer, and the signature cocktail of the night, made with Cathead Vodka, Luxury Living. Additionally, hitting record pop-up sales, 10% of the night’s proceeds benefitted Doggies on the Catwalk, the acclaimed 501c 3 founded by E. Vincent Martinez. 

Open until Tuesday, May 15, Luxury Garage Sale’s Atlanta pop-up, is located at The Shops at Highland Steel (240 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, Ga). For more information on Luxury Garage Sale, visit luxurygaragesale.com. 

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Luxury Garage Sale Grand Opening Soiree - Atlanta Pop Up

Popping up for one month this April 15 through May 15, 2018, coveted Chicago-based upscale consignment brand, Luxury Garage Sale, is inviting fashion-loving Atlantans the opportunity to shop a curated collection of high-end designer consignment including top-selling brands like Hermès, Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton along with boutique overstock at up to 90% off retail prices.  The pop-up shop will be located in the heart of bustling Inman Park - providing shoppers a true boutique ‘luxe for less’ experience featuring stand-out designer clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories for women, one-on-one styling, full service consignment services, and more.  Their team of style experts also makes personal house-calls to help consignors vet their pieces and appraise them for those looking to consign new or lightly used luxury items.  

Join us as we celebrate the official grand opening of the Luxury Garage Sale Atlanta pop-up shop in Inman Park this Wednesday, April 25th from 7 to 9 p.m. Sip champagne, bites from The Brasserie and Neighborhood Café at PARISH, a selection of Wild Heaven craft beer and more.   

Benefiting Doggies on the Catwalk, for this evening only, 10% of proceeds will go towards the acclaimed 501c 3 founded by E. Vincent Martinez. Special guests and Doggies on the Catwalk models Vickie Kirbo of Kirb Your Style  & Ashley Stamoulis of SUTHINGIRL will also be in attendance and ready to host you!    

RSVP to rsvp@carenwestpr.com and we will make sure you’re on the list!

Luxury Garage Sale’s Atlanta pop-up, is located at The Shops at Highland Steel (240 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, Ga.) right by Pure Barre and across the street from Char.  

Get ready to shop ’til you drop! 

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